Bedfordshire Community Health Services (BCHS) provides care across a wide geographical area including Bedford, Dunstable, Shefford and Steppingley. Over the past four years, pharmacy team has evolved from a relatively unknown and unestablished function into a fully recognised standalone BCHS Pharmacy service, working alongside nursing services.
During this period, key performance indicators improved significantly, reaching 99% compliance. Medicines reconciliation increased substantially from 30 to 100 referrals per month, most patients seen face to face across Bedfordshire population by pharmacy technicians. The scope of the service has expanded considerably, initially pharmacy technicians supported care homes only, but the service now operates across multiple care settings and pathways including domiciliary care, discharge to assess (D2A) beds and virtual wards through structured referral pathways. Support nursing teams with insulin administration and governance for seasonal flu clinics. Promoting Climate Champion work in care homes, particularly around inhaler disposal, alongside work addressing medicines wastage.
A quality improvement project between 2023 -2025 achieved a 50% reduction in discharge-related incidents from acute into community settings, improved communication, strengthened transfer of care processes and collaborative relationships with the neighbourhood hospital.
The service has strengthened integrated working by providing clinical guidance aligned with Trust and Integrated Care Board (ICB) policies, supporting non-medical prescribers through forums and prescribing data analysis. Supporting teams through incident analysis, particularly in palliative care, insulin administration and controlled drugs. Additional initiatives include a medicines management bulletin, buccal midazolam protocols for epilepsy care, Sativex prescribing support in neurology and PGD-supported flucloxacillin supply in Podiatry services.